1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support structure, and particularly relates to a support structure having a mattress and at least one side guard stacked on the mattress.
2. Description of the Related Art
A support structure is applied to medical treatment for providing appropriate bedding for patients by filling air into the support structure or exhaust air from the support structure. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the prior art provides a support structure that includes a support layer 91, a bottom sheet 92 and two bolsters 93. The support layer 91 is received in the bottom sheet 92. The support layer 91 is composed of a plurality of inflatable cells. The two bolsters 93 are respectively disposed on two lateral sides of the support layer 91, and the height of each bolster 93 is larger than the height of the support layer 91. Each inflatable cell of the support layer 91 and each bolster 93 are connected to a pump via a pipe, and air is filled into each inflatable cell and each bolster 93 by operating a control device to properly inflate or deflate.
Because the two bolsters 93 are respectively disposed on two lateral sides of the support layer 91, the shape of each bolster 93 can change easily and each bolster 93 loses its protection function. When the air pressure in the bolsters 93 is insufficient, the bedded person will fall into a gap between the support layer and each side guard easily. Hence, it is dangerous for a bedded person to use the support structure of the prior art. Moreover, the size of the inflatable cell needs to be changed according to different sizes of the side guard. Hence, the manufacturer needs to make many different inflatable cells with different sizes. The manufacturing efficiency is bad and needs to be improved.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,044 discloses an air bed that includes an enclosure formed by a flat rectangular bottom panel, a lower vertical panel standing up perpendicularly from the periphery of the bottom panel, an upper vertical panel disposed above the lower vertical panel, a gusset connecting the lower and upper vertical panels, a rectangular top panel removably connected to the upper vertical panel, and a plurality of restraining straps, with one end of each restraining strap connected to the gusset along the left side of the enclosure and the other end of each restraining strap attached to the gusset along the right side of the enclosure. The enclosure has upper levels and lower levels separated by the restraining straps. Inflatable air tubes are inserted in each level. Each level of tubes includes bolster tubes inserted parallel and adjacent to the sides and ends of the enclosure, and cushion tubes which are disposed laterally across the enclosure in the rectangular space surrounded by the bolster tubes. Each tube has sheathing surrounding it to reduce noise when adjacent tubes rub against each other, and attachment means are used to prevent rotation of the tubes. An air pump provides air pressure to the inflatable tubes through a manifold block having several separate, variably controlled output ports. An air hose assembly connects the manifold's output ports to the various tubes so that certain combinations of tubes receive various amounts of air pressure. In addition, the invention includes a single level embodiment. However, the bolster tubes are fixed, not easy to move.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,635 discloses a fitted bed sheet that has a pair of roll guards mounted thereon to prevent a toddler or other person from rolling out of the bed. Each roll guard is removably disposed in a slip cover mounted on the sheet by a flexible strip of material, which allows each roll guard to move between a first position atop the sheet and a second position beside the sheet with the roll guard hanging from the flexible strip. Each roll guard is securable in the raised position by linking of fastener strips having hook and loop fasteners mounted on the slip cover and fabric loops mounted on the sheet. Each roll guard is removably mounted to the sheet via a zipper between the sheet and the flexible strip of material mounted on the slip cover. A plurality of elastic straps is mounted axially on the bottom of the sheet to help secure the sheet on a mattress. But the loop that is mounted on top panel of sheet is easy to be cut off by the horizontal force caused by the patient to move position.